H.S. FOOTBALL: Week 5 power rankings

Last week turned out to be a tough one for local high school football teams.

Three teams listed in last week’s top seven (Silver Lake, Hanover and Pembroke) all took losses as did two of our bubble teams (Carver and Braintree).

On the other hand, last week was a solid week for our top four teams who all picked up blowout wins.

Record and last week’s ranking is in parenthesis.

1. Marshfield (3-1, 1) – The Rams easily rolled over Nauset (35-6) last week. Friday’s game at Sandwich is the quintessential trap game with the league title to be decided the following week at Dennis-Yarmouth.

2. Norwell (4-0, 3) – The Clippers are the last remaining undefeated team in our poll. That record will be tested the next three weeks as Norwell has tough South Shore League Sullivan games against Rockland, Middleboro and East Bridgewater. The league title race still looks wide open.

3. Hingham (3-1, 5) – The Harbormen were happy to give Silver Lake its first loss of the season in last week’s Game of the Week. Hingham has thrown its hat into the Patriot League Keenan Division title race.

4. Rockland (3-1, 6) – After failing to score a touchdown in their first two games, the Bulldogs offense has rounded into shape averaging 33 points a game the last two weeks.

5. Silver Lake (3-1, 2) – The schedule doesn’t get any easier for the Lakers following last week’s loss to Hingham. This week, Silver Lake hosts Duxbury at home.

6. Scituate (3-1, NR) – The Sailors bounced back from a loss to Pembroke with a 24-14 win at Plymouth South. Scituate is happy to return home to face Hanover on Friday.

7. Hanover (2-2, 4) – After surviving a close game against Plymouth South last week, the Indians couldn’t escape another close one unscathed in a 20-19 loss to North Quincy. A loss this week could muddy Hanover’s playoff hopes going forward.

On the bubble: Abington (2-2)

Week 5 schedule

Friday, Oct. 6

Abington at Carver, 7

Brookline at Braintree, 7

Cohasset at New Bedford, 7

Hanover at Scituate, 7

Hingham at Quincy, 7

Marshfield at Sandwich, 7

Newton North at Weymouth, 7

Pembroke at North Quincy, 7

Plymouth South at Middleboro, 7

Plymouth North at Whitman-Hanson, 7

Rockland at Norwell, 7

Silver Lake at Duxbury, 7

Game of the week: Friday Oct. 6 – Rockland at Norwell, 7 p.m. – The last time these two met came in last year’s Division 3A South Sectional quarterfinals. The Bulldogs scored a touchdown late to get within one points (14-13), but the Clippers thwarted a 2-point conversion with 13 seconds remaining. This year’s game has huge league title implications.

Football Power Rankings are decided with the help of several factors: record, strength of schedule, performance against teams and margin of victory. The public schools in our coverage area include: Abington, Braintree, Carver, Cohasset, Hanover, Hingham, Marshfield, Norwell, Pembroke, Plymouth North, Plymouth South, Rockland, Scituate, Silver Lake and Weymouth. Send nominations for players of the week to cmcdaniel@wickedlocal.com or reach on Twitter @ChrisMcDaniel88.